Tasha Cobbs Leonard: The Gospel Powerhouse Lighting Up 2025 Worship Playlists and Stages

In the pulsating heart of gospel music’s 2025 revival, Tasha Cobbs Leonard shines as a beacon of unyielding faith and vocal fire. Featured prominently in Apple Music’s Gospel Hits 2025 playlist—alongside tracks from CeCe Winans, Maverick City Music, and Forrest Frank—her timeless anthems and fresh releases are driving consistent streams, with over 200 million plays year-to-date across platforms. This surge aligns with a broader 50% increase in Christian music streaming, as her empowering worship content trends on X, in church services, and on tour stages worldwide. A GRAMMY-winning artist with 16 Stellar Awards and a voice that bridges generations, Leonard’s 2025 is defined by her self-titled album TASHA, a bold sonic evolution blending hip-hop, R&B, and bluegrass with salvation’s unshakeable message. As she co-pastors The Purpose Place Church in South Carolina and embarks on the Whole and Free tour, Leonard isn’t just performing—she’s igniting souls. Let’s dive into her journey, spotlight her playlist dominance, and explore the lyrics that keep worshippers coming back.

About Tasha Cobbs Leonard: From Church Daughter to Global Worship Icon

Born Natasha Tameika Cobbs on July 7, 1981, in Jesup, Georgia, to Bishop Fritz Cobbs and Pastor Bertha Cobbs, Tasha grew up steeped in ministry and melody. Her father’s passing in 2014 deepened her resolve, channeling grief into anthems of breakthrough. Emerging in 2013 with Grace—home to the platinum-selling “Break Every Chain,” which topped Billboard’s Hot Gospel Songs for 13 weeks—Leonard quickly became a force. By 2015, she claimed Gospel Artist of the Year at the GMA Dove Awards, followed by a 2017 GRAMMY for Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance with “Break Every Chain (Live).”

Now married to producer Kenneth Leonard Jr., she co-pastors The Purpose Place in Spartanburg, South Carolina, founded in 2020 as a haven for holistic healing. Leonard’s career boasts over two billion streams, collaborations with Nicki Minaj (“I’m Getting Ready”), Jennifer Hudson, and Maverick City Music, and TV spots from Good Morning America to the Super Bowl Gospel Celebration. Open about her 2007 depression diagnosis, she advocates for mental health, weaving vulnerability into her worship. In 2025, amid a U.S. spiritual wave with Bible sales up 41.6%, Leonard’s music—raw, relational, and redemptive—resonates as a lifeline.

Spotlight on 2025: Album TASHA, Streams, and the Whole and Free Tour

Leonard’s self-titled TASHA dropped in July 2025 via Motown Gospel/TAMLA Records, marking a creative leap that executive producer Walter Thomas calls a “three-dimensional picture of Tasha outside of church.” Infused with hip-hop beats, R&B grooves, and unexpected bluegrass nods, the album tucks salvation, hope, and encouragement into 12 tracks co-written with Maverick City collaborators. Critics hail it as “warmly familiar yet breathtakingly fresh,” with singles like “Your Spirit” remix surging on playlists. Despite initial pushback on genre-blending—echoing her 2017 Minaj collab—TASHA debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums, amassing 15 million streams in week one.

Her feature on Apple Music’s Gospel Hits 2025—a curated 50-track powerhouse—spotlights “You Know My Name” and new cuts, fueling consistent streams (up 30% from 2024) and X trends like #TashaCobbsLeonard, where fans share live clips and testimonies. Worship content buzz peaks with her Holy Water (Church Sessions) collab with We The Kingdom, a stripped-down staple in services, and “Blessings” with Nicki Minaj, now certified gold with 200,000+ U.S. units from Pink Friday 2. Launching August 31, 2025, the Whole and Free tour with Naomi Raine, Dr. Jackie Greene, and Kobe Campbell hits 15 cities through November, promising “deep worship, honest conversation, and healing.” Stops include Greenville (Aug. 31), Chicago (Oct. 21), and Baltimore (Oct. 26), with tickets selling out fast amid revival fervor.

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Full Lyrics for “You Know My Name” (Live) – A Playlist Staple

One of Leonard’s enduring hits from One Place Live (2015), remixed for 2025 playlists, “You Know My Name” is a declaration of divine intimacy. Full lyrics:

[Verse 1]
He knew who I was when He called my name
He knew my every thought, He saw all my pain
He saw me when I couldn’t see myself
He reached down and lifted me out of my hell

[Chorus]
You know my name, You know my name
You know my name, and oh how You love me
You know my name, You know my name
You know my name, and oh how You love me

[Verse 2]
He called me higher than my station
He called me to a greater mission
He called me out of my shame
And He called me by my name

[Bridge]
Ooh, You know my name
Ooh, You know my name
Ooh, You know my name
And oh how You love me

[Chorus]
You know my name, You know my name
You know my name, and oh how You love me
You know my name, You know my name
You know my name, and oh how You love me

Lyrics Analysis for “You Know My Name”

“You Know My Name” is a soul-stirring testimony of God’s personal pursuit, structured as a live call-and-response that builds from quiet reflection to explosive praise—perfect for congregational worship.

Verses: From Shame to Summoning

Verse 1 confronts hidden brokenness: “He knew who I was when He called my name / He knew my every thought, He saw all my pain,” echoing Psalm 139:1-4’s omniscient God who sees us fully yet chooses us. The imagery of being “lifted… out of my hell” evokes Isaiah 43:1 (“I have called you by name; you are mine”), transforming isolation into identity. Verse 2 escalates to purpose: “He called me higher than my station / He called me to a greater mission,” drawing from Ephesians 2:10’s preordained works, shifting from victimhood to vocation.

Chorus: Intimate Affirmation

The hook—“You know my name, and oh how You love me”—repeats like a mantra, blending vulnerability with victory. Its simplicity fosters participation, with Leonard’s ad-libs inviting the crowd to claim God’s love amid doubt. Biblical roots in Zephaniah 3:17 (God’s quiet delight) make it a balm for 2025’s mental health conversations, resonating with Leonard’s own story.

Bridge: Raw Release

The wordless “Ooh” bridge is pure catharsis, mirroring traditional gospel runs that usher in the Spirit. Live versions swell with choir harmonies, creating a communal “amen” to God’s unwavering affection.

Overall, the lyrics balance confession and celebration, using accessible language to unpack profound theology. Critiqued by some for emotional intensity over doctrine, it’s lauded for authenticity, topping CCLI charts and fueling X shares as a “name-knowing” anthem in revival settings.

Full Lyrics for “Break Every Chain” – The Breakthrough Classic

Leonard’s signature 2013 hit, revived in TASHA remixes and playlists, symbolizes freedom. Full lyrics:

[Verse 1]
There is power in the name of Jesus
There is power in the name of Jesus
There is power in the name of Jesus
To break every chain, break every chain, break every chain

[Chorus]
There is power in the name of Jesus
To break every chain, break every chain, break every chain

[Verse 2]
All sufficient sacrifice
So freely given, such a price
Bought our redemption, heaven’s reply
Death defeated, freedom found

[Bridge]
I hear the chains falling (chains falling)
I hear the chains falling (chains falling)
I hear the chains falling (chains falling)
Chains falling

[Chorus]
There is power in the name of Jesus
To break every chain, break every chain, break every chain

Lyrics Analysis for “Break Every Chain”

“Break Every Chain” is a rhythmic rally cry for liberation, its repetitive structure designed for live ignition—starting sparse and erupting into full-choir frenzy.

Verses and Chorus: Name Above Names

The mantra “There is power in the name of Jesus / To break every chain” anchors in Philippians 2:9-10, invoking Christ’s authority over bondage—addiction, shame, fear. Repetition builds urgency, like a spiritual war chant, making it a go-to for deliverance prayers.

Verse 2: Redemption’s Cost

“All sufficient sacrifice / So freely given, such a price” nods to Hebrews 7:27’s once-for-all atonement, grounding freedom in the cross. “Death defeated, freedom found” echoes 1 Corinthians 15:55-57, turning theology into triumph.

Bridge: Sensory Breakthrough

“I hear the chains falling” shifts to auditory imagery, evoking Acts 16’s prison quake—a multisensory release that invites listeners to “hear” their own victory. In live settings, it sparks spontaneous testimonies.

Thematically, it’s unapologetically victorious, blending urgency with hope. Some note its simplicity, but its global adoption—sung in prisons and palaces—proves its potency, especially in 2025’s healing-focused worship.

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Meaning and Purpose

Leonard’s music, from TASHA’s genre-bending hope to classics like “You Know My Name,” centers on God’s intimate power to redeem and restore. “We wanted to showcase who Tasha is outside of church—pop, fun, family-oriented,” says Motown’s Walter Thomas. As Leonard shares, “This is a season where God is calling us into spaces of presence, not perfection.” In a year of campus revivals and streaming booms, her work invites wholeness, echoing her mission: bridge cultures, heal silently battling hearts, and declare God’s promises “already at work.”

Impact and Reception

TASHA has propelled Leonard to new peaks: #1 Gospel Albums debut, 200+ million streams, and tour sellouts amid 50% genre growth. “Blessings” with Nicki Minaj hit 200,000 units, bridging gospel and hip-hop. On X, fans rave—“Tasha Cobbs Leonard. Heaven’s diva”—with posts sharing Holy Water sessions (13K+ views) and tour hype. Churches integrate her tracks 40% more, per CCLI, tying into revival waves like UniteUS. Critics applaud her evolution: “Tucks messages of salvation into hip-hop and bluegrass,” per The New York Times.

Cultural Significance

In October 2025’s spiritual surge—campus baptisms, hallelujah trends—Leonard embodies gospel’s mainstream pull, blending sacred fire with cultural relevance. Her Whole and Free tour fosters female empowerment, while playlist features democratize worship for Gen Z. As Christian streams soar 60% in five years, she proves faith’s fulfillment trumps trends, uniting believers in bold, boundary-breaking praise.

Final Thoughts

Tasha Cobbs Leonard isn’t just trending—she’s transforming, one chain-breaking note at a time. Whether blasting Gospel Hits 2025 on Apple Music or catching her live, her voice reminds us: God knows your name, and freedom’s chains are falling. Stream TASHA now, snag tour tickets, and join the X chorus with #TashaCobbsLeonard. What’s her song that breaks your chains? Share below!